Carton forming machine



May 10, 1960 A. E. RANDLES, JR

CARTON FORMING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 18, 1958 INVENTOR.ARTHUR E RANDLES, JR.

A TTOPNEYS May 10, 1960 A. E. RANDLES, JR 2,935,917

CARTON FORMING MACHINE Filed April 18, 1958 6 She ets-Sheet 2 l o 0 l3F/G 4 lol I02 1 IO8 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR E. HANDLES, JR

A 7' TOPNEJ S May 10, 1960 A. E. RANDLES, JR 2,935,917

CARTON FORMING MACHINE Filed April 18, 1958 e Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.ARTHUR E. RANDLES, JR.

W yaw A 7' TORNEVS May 10, 1960 A. E. RANDLES, JR

CARTON FORMING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 18, 1958 R. m m mRI'HU/P E RANDLES, JR. W a W May 10, 1960 A. E. RANDLES, JR

CARTON FORMING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 18, 1958 INVENTOR..64/?THU/P E. HANDLES, JR.

A TTO/PNEVS May 10, 1960 A. E. RANDLES, JR

CARTON FORMING MACHINE Filed April 18, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.ARTHUR E RANDLEZS, JR.

A T TORNE VS i nitedi rates Patent 6 CARTON FORMING MACHINE Arthur E.Randles, Jr., Redwood City, Calif., assiguor of one-half to Fred E.Helmick Application April 18, 1958, Serial No. 729,448

' 8 Claims. (Cl. 93-37) The invention relates to machines for setting uppaper or chip-board cartons supplied in knocked-down or collapsed formand, more particularly, to apparatus for forming egg cartons of the typeshown in my co-pending application Serial No. 659,044, filed May 14,1957.

High-speed automatic machines for setting up egg cartons have long beenknown and used. -Most, if not all, of such machines, however, have beensubject to occasional jamming during the folding operation, owingespecially to the bowing of both panels of the collapsed carton duringthe critical step of forming the two panels into hollow box form.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a carton formingmachine which is especially free from jamming.

It is another object of the invention to provide a machine capable ofrapidly and accurately folding cartons of the kind shown and describedin said co-pending application.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a machine which isclose-coupled, is compact and requires but a small amount of floorspace. 7

It is still another object of the invention to provide an egg cartonforming machine which is relatively economical and which is thereforewithin the financial reach of even fairly small egg packingestablishments.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a carton formingmachine whose output can readily be varied to any desired speed between20 to 60 or more cartons per minute and which can, therefore, beadjusted to match a production lines speed, if desired.

It is another object of the invention to provide a generally improvedcarton forming machine.

Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in theembodiment described in the following description and shown in theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Figure 2. is a plan, a portion of the top cover being broken away todisclose a portion of the interior mechan1sm;

Figure 3 is a plan of a knocked-down form of eggcarton;

Figure 4 is a side view of the egg carton shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side view, to an enlarged scale, of the carton deliverymechanism;

.Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective of the carton retaining wall anddelivery structure;

Figure 7 is a side view of the carton pre-forming and panel hookingmechanism;

Figure 8 is a side view of the carton forming mechanism;

Figure 9 is a perspective of an egg carton illustrating the structure ofthe panel pre-forming and booking fingers and the relation thereto ofthe carton forming fingers, shown in outline, in forming the carton intohollow box form, shown in outline;

2,935,917 Fatented May 10, 1960 mechanism;

Figure 13 is a side view, partially in section, and to an enlarged scaleof the partition folding structure; and Figure 14 is a rear perspectiveof an egg carton in the formed condition in which the carton leaves theforming machine.

While the carton forming machine of the invention is susceptible ofnumerous physical embodiments, depending on the enviroment and therequirements of use, considerable numbers of the herein shown anddescribed embodiments have been made and have been used in formingseveral million egg cartons, and all have performed in an eminentlysatisfactory manner.

The carton forming machine of the invention, generally designated by thenumeral 11, comprises a generally cubical housing 12, or framework,including a plurality of corner posts 13 and on opposite sides a pair ofvertical columns 14 as well as a pair of inclined columns 16. Aplurality of marginally located top members 17 and bottom members 18provides additional rigidity to the structure. J Serving conveniently asa storage location for several stacks of the carton in knocked-down orcollapsed form,

the carton being designated by the numeral 21 in Figures 3 and 4, andacting, as well as a protective element, is a cover or cover plate 22,mounted on the top of the framework. Protruding downwardly through thecover plate 22 in a generally central location therein is a hopperstructure 23 adapted to hold or store, and gravitally feed a pluralityof the cartons 21 into the machine.

As can be seen most clearly by reference to Figures 1 and 2, the hopperstructure 23 includes a pair of inclined bottom rails 26 adapted tosupport the bottom edge of the knocked-down carton 21 as indicated bythe rod elements 26 shown in sectional outline in Figure 3. A comparablepair of side rails 27 spaced apart slightly in excess of the distancefrom one end of the carton to the other serves to maintain the cartonsin lateral registry as they proceed downwardly in the hopper. Aninclined plate 28 below the hopper rails prevents dust, die-cuttingdebris and other extraneous matter from falling onto the internalmechanism.

The rails extend from a conveniently located upper supporting structure29 downwardly to an inclined carton retaining wall 31, the lower ends ofthe rails being spaced from the wall 31 by an amount very slightly inexcess of the maximum or total thickness of the carton 21 shown inFigure 4, the total thickness being substantially twice the thickness ofthe paper or board stock itself. A relay type of switch 32 is insertedin the hopper bottom 28 spaced about an inch or two from the retainingwall 31. When the switch 32 is depressed by the weight of overlyingcartons the machines driving motor circuit is closed. When, however,there remains only a few cartons in the hopper, and the switch 32 is nolonger depressed by the weight of superposed cartons, the motor circuitopens and the machine stops. This serves as a signal to the operator toinsert adidtiona-l cartons in the hopper. b

The retaining wall 31 is mounted on the inclined pair of, columns 16 andserves not only to retain the cartons disposed in the hopper but also tosupport the cartons as they are moved, one at a time, from the hopper,or

is confined on one side by the retain-ing wall 31 and on 3 the otherside by a positioning plate 37 parallel to and spaced from the retainingwall by approximately twice the thickness of the carton stock, asappears most clearly in Figures 5 and 13.

Meohanism is provided for separating one carton at a time from the pileof cartons in the hopper and for transporting the single cartondownwardly between the retaining wall 31 and the positioning plate 37 tothe carton forming station 36. This mechanism, generally designated bythe numeral 41, includes a pair ofdelivery arms 42 afiixed to across-shaft 43 pivotally mounted in a pair of bearings 44 secured to thevertical columns. 14. Oscillating motion of the delivery arms 42 iseffected by pivotally connecting a link 46 to the end of one of thedelivery arms distant from the retaining wall 31. The link 46, asappears most clearly in Figure 5, is pivotally connected at its lowerend to a pin 47 disposed in a groove 48 in one face of a delivery cam49. Also pivotally mounted on the cam pin 47 is a rocker arm 51 securedto a freely rotatable shaft 52.

The cam 49, along with an array of other cams later to be described, ismounted on a camshaft 56 suitably journalled in a pair of bearings 57mounted on a pair of supports 58 extending between the vertical columns14 and the adjacent corner posts 13 on opposite sides of the machineframework.

Rotating the camshaft 56 in the clockwise direction indicated by thearrow 59 in Figure 5 is a motor 61 acting through a power transmittingtrain including a belt 62 reeved about a conventional variable speedpulley 63 and a fixed diameter idler pulley 64 secured to an idlercross-shaft 66 appropriately journalled in a pair of bear ings 67mounted on a pair of framework supports 68. Also mounted on the idlercross-shaft 66 and rotatable therewith is an idler wheel 71 havingreeved thereabout a belt 72 reeved about a larger wheel 73 mounted on across-shaft 74 suitably journalled in a pair of bearings 76 mounted onthe columns 14.

Rotation of the cross-shaft 74 is imparted to the camshaft 56 by a chain77 reeved about a sprocket 78 on the cross-shaft 74 and a somewhatlarger sprocket 79 mounted on the camshaft 56.

Obviously, the relative sizes of the various pulleys, wheels andsprockets comprising the train are selected in accordance withwell-known principles to effect the desired ratio between the motorspeed and the camshaft speed. The variable speed pulley 63 inserted inthe train permits the operator to select any desired camshaft speedsince, by suitable rotation of a handwheel 81, the motor 61 can be movedto any desired longitudinal location on a jackscrew 82, with which themotor is in engagement, the amount of tension thereby exerted on thebelt 62 being determinative of the efiective diameter of the variablespeed pulley 63 in well-known fashion. Conveniently, the relative sizesof the train elements and the characteristics of the motor and thevariable speed pulley are selected so that machine production speed canbe varied between twenty to sixty, or even more, cartons per minute.

By reference to Figures 5 and 6 it can be seen that rotation of thecamshaft 56, on which the cam 49 is eccentrically mounted, effects anupward and downward motion of therocker arm 51 between the locationsshown in full line and in outline in Figure 5. Corresponding attitudesof the link 46 and the delivery arms 42 are likewise apparent in Figure5.

Extending outwardly from the distal end of each of the delivery arms 42is: pin 86 protruding through the gap between a pair of, rods 87suitablyniounted on a sled 88 provided at each end with a shoe 89vertically slidable in a track 91 on each end of the retaining wall 31.Consequently, as the delivery arms swing downwardly in the directionindicated by the arrow 92 in Figure 5, the pins 86 urge the sled 88downwardly in 4 the direction of the arrow 93, the upstroke of the armsreversing the direction of movement of the sled 88.

Accompanying the sled is a pair of delivery fingers 96, the fingers 96each including an inclined, somewhat resilient, spring leaf portion 97extending through a slot 98 in the retaining wall and a bent plate 99mounted on the lower end of the leaf portion 97 in an attitudesubstantially parallel to the slope of the retaining wall.

The plate 99'is at a location such that the lower edge of the port on 97forms an overhang, or lip 100.

The lip is adapted to engage with a ledge 101 on the adjacent one of thecartons 21 in the hopper, the ledge 101 being formed by the upper edgeof the adjacent folded panel 102 of the carton 21, as appears in Figures3 and 4. The adjacent panel 102 is sharply folded about a fold line 103and is glued to the remote or cover panel 104 along a glue strip 106.

A plurality of transverse partitions 107 is die cut into the adjacent ornear panel 102 and a plurality of supporting legs 108 is struck out fromthe panel 102. Die cut into the back or cover panel 104, as appears mostclearly in Figure 9 is a plurality of roughly diamond-shaped apertures111 connected at each end, by a pair of slits 112, to a pair ofquadrilateral openings 113. A plurality of supporting legs 114 is cutinto the back panel 104 and informed carton condition, as appears inFigure 14, the legs 108 and 114 are disposed in mirror symmetry andserve to support the central portion of the carton.

As appears most clearly in Figure 5, at the top of the delivery armstroke, the overhang of the delivery fingers is located just above theledge 101 of the adjacent carton. Thus, when the delivery arm swingsdownwardly, the overhang 100 engages the ledge 101 and pushes the cartondownwardly between the retaining wall 31 and the position plate 37 untilthe end of the stroke is reached. At this juncture the carton 21 is inthe location shown in outline in Figure 5 and the delivery arms, afterdwelling in lowermost position while subsequent operations, to bedescribed, take place, are returned to uppermost position preparatory todelivering the next carton.

The delivered carton 21 is lodged rather securely between the retainingwall 31 and the positioning plate 37 owing to the fact that the spacetherebetween is snugly filled by the combined thicknesses of the gluingstrip 106 and the back panel 104, as is shown most'clearly in Figure 13.Furthermore, the lip 100 continues to dwell for a time on top of thecarton ledge 101, holding the carton in place. Consequently, subsequentoperations can be performed on the portions of the carton located belowthe bottom edge 121 of the retaining wall 31, the upward thrustsencountered in some of the subsequent operations being resisted by thelip 100.

The first of such operations is that of pre-breaking or pro-forming thecarton to facilitate the subsequent operations and to prevent thepossibility of jamming that so frequently occurs in machines of the kindheretofore used.

re-forming is accomplished by the insertion, as in Figure 9, through atleast two of the diamond-shaped apertures 111 of a pair of hooks 123each comprising a shank portion 124 and at the distal end an upturnedhook 126, or tip. Reference to Figure 7 most clearly shows that thehooks are actuated by oscillating motion of a shaft 127 to which thehooks are secured. Mounted on the back end of the shank 124 of one ofthe hooks is.

a block 128 to which is pivotally mounted a link 129 pivotally connectedto a cam pin 131 disposed in a groove 132 in a hook earn 133. A rockerarm 134 mounted at one end on a rotatable shaft 136 and at the other endon the cam pin 131 oscillates between the two locations shown in Figure7 and the hooks 123 are actuated so as to move between the normalposition shown in outline and the pre-breaking or pre-forming locationshown in full line.

assasir As the hooks swing upwardly in the direction indicated by thearrow 141 the hook tips 126 swing'upwardly and through the correspondingapertures 111 in the back panel 104 and abut the rear surface of thefront panel 102, causing the front panel 102 to bow or bulge outwardlyand away from the back panel 104, as appears most clearly in Figures 7and *9.

A pre-breaking or pre-forming of the two panels of the carton is therebyeffected so that when the kicker feet 143, or forming fingers, of theforming mechanism 144 are made operative there is no possibility ofjamming. It is to be noted that in the event the front panel 102 and theback panel 104 were allowed to remain in face to face relation, and werenot bowed apart, that as the tips 146 of the kickers 143 passed thoughthe diamend-shaped apertures 111 and into contact with the back surfaceof the front panel 102 at a high rate of speed that both panels wouldtend to bow outwardly in unison. The suction" at the interface of thetwo panels, or the electro-staticattraction of one for the other, tocite two possible explanations, is frequently capable of overcoming therigidity of the back panel and causes both of the panels to bendinwardly and to cause jamming.

Where, however, the hooks 123 effect a preliminary outward bowing of thefront panel 102 and then remain momentarily in position while thekickers move in, complete separation of the two panels is achieved. Thereason for this is that as the panels are urged upwardly by the kickers143 in the direction indicated by the arrow 148 in Figure 9, the tips126 of the hooks 123 momentarily engage the inner surface of the backpanel 104 and momentarily drag or delay the movement of the back panelwhereas the front panel is being swung upwardly. The drag provided bythe hooks is only momentary since the hooks are soondisengaged from theback panel but the delay is sufiicient to cause complete separation ofthe panels and to effect proper forming of the panels into the hollowbox configuration shown most clearly in Figures 8 and 9.

The forming or kicker mechanism, generally designated by the numeral144, is actuated by a forming earn 151 mountedon the cam shaft 56, a pin152 riding in a track 153 and rocking an am 154 on a shaft 156.Pivotally mounted on the pin 152 is a link 157 pivot-ally attached toone of a pair of kicking legs 158 secured to a shaft 159, the legs beingswingable from a normal position shown in outline in Figure 8 in thedirection indicated by the arrow 161 to the forming location showninfull line. Y

It is apparent that upon retraction of the kickers the naturalresiliency of the carton material tends to return the carton to aparallelogram type of configuration. Consequently, mechanism is providedfor holding or clamping the carton in full box-like section. Thisclamping mechanism is generally designated by the numeral 163 andappears most clearly in Figures and 13.

Included in the clamping mechanism 163, which also serves as a cartonstripping or ejecting mechanism acting to remove the carton uponcompletion, is a cam 166 mounted on the camshaft 56 and having a groove167 in which travels a pin 168. Pivotally mounted on the pin is a rocker169 on a shaft 171. Pivotally attached to the rocker 169 is a link 172pivotally secured to a lever 173 aflixed to a shaft 174. Also afiixed tothe shaft 174 is a pair of arms 176, the arms 176 being swingablebetween the location shown in full line and the position shown inoutline in Figure 10.

Extending between the pair of arms 176 is a suitably journalled shaft177 having mounted thereon a pair of clamping hooks 178, the hooks eachincluding a flattened tip 179 adapted to be swung over the upper edge ofthe outer wall 181 of the egg carton immediately after the forming armshave opened the .carton into the hollow box form and to clamp the uppermargin of the carton wall 181 to maintain the hollow box shape.

In the uppermost position of the arms 176, as appears in Figure 10, thehook tips 179 are open, a tension member, such as a spring 182 shown inFigure 13, urging the tips 179 away from the upper margin of the cartonwall 181 so that there is no interference with said upper margin as theforming fingers bend the carton wall 181 upwardly to form the outer wallof the box.

Immediately thereafter, the cam pin 168 enters a position 183 of the camgroove and the arm 169 is rocked somewhat in the direction indicated bythe arrow 184. This results in a slight downward angular movement of thearms 176, the arms 176 moving enough to dislodge from an indentation 186in the upper end of a cam plate 187, as appears in Figures 1 and 10, aroller 188 mounted on the end of a lever 189 secured to the adjacent endof the shaft 177. As can be seen most clearly in Figure 10, dislodgmentof the roller 188 from the indentation causes the clamping tips to moveinto clamping engagement with the upper inner margin of the carton wall181, clamping continuing during the period the 'cam pin 168 dwells inthe substantially circular groove portion 183. of the cam 166.

During the period in which clamping is effected, folding of thetransverse carton partitions 107-into vertical attitude and forming andtucking of the central longitudinal inverted V-shaped rib takes place,as will presently be described.

With particular reference to Figures 12 and 13 it can be seen that anupper set or plurality of partition folding plates 191 is provided, eachof the upper plates being 'pivotally mounted on and extending between avertical outer wall 192 and a vertical inner wall 193, the plates beingrockable about a pair of pins 194. In normal position, each of the upperplates is inclined at the attitude shown in Figure 12. The upper plates191 are swung into vertical attitude by the movement in a righthanddirection, as shown in Figure 12, of an upper bar 196 having mounted onthe right-hand end thereof a roller 197 urged against the outerconfigured edge of an upper bar cam 198 by a tension spring 199 securedat one end to the right-hand corner post 13 and slidably mounted at theother end on a stud 200 mounted on the upper bar 196. v T v The spring199 urges the roller 197 against the cam 198 which is rotated by a camshaft 201 which, in turn, as appears most clearly in Figures 1 and 2, isrotated, through a universal joint 202,by a shaft 203 having a bevelgear 204 in engagement with a bevel gear 206 mounted on the main camshaft 56. Thus, as the cam shaft 201 rotates in the direction indicatedby the arrow 211 the upper bar earn 198 is correspondingly rotated andthe upper bar 196 translates back and forth under urgency of the camconfiguration and the spring 199.

As the bar 196 moves in a right-hand direction, as appears in Figure 12,the upper portion of each of the upper plates is rocked upwardly andtoward the right by virtue of a pin connection 212 existing between thebar 196 and each of the upper plates. Conveniently, the pin 212 issecured to the bar and projects into a small hollow box-like frame 213attached to the upper side of each of the upper plates. Thisconstruction permits the bar to operate in rocking the plates 19'1 eventhough the upper portion of each of the plates swings through an arc andmoves between an inclined and a vertical attitude while the bar movesonly horizontally.

In a somewhat comparable fashion, a plurality of lower plates 221 aremoved between the inclined position shown in Figure 12 to the verticalattitude appearing in Figure 13. Each of the lower plates is rockablymounted on a pair of pivot pins 222, one on the front wall 192 and theother on the rear wall 193. Disposed within an open box 226 mounted onthe side of each of the lower plates is a pin 227 secured to a lower bar231 extending toward a lower bar cam 232 mounted on the cam shaft 201,the lower bar being oscillated in a horizontal direction by reason of acam pin 233 pivotally mounted on the lower bar and riding in a camgroove 234 in the face of the cam 232.

The upper 'bar cam 198 and the lower bar cam 232 are so configured thatthe lower bar 231 is urged toward the left, as appears in Figure 12,slightly prior to the time the upper bar 196 is urged toward the right.Consequently, the lower plates 221 are swung into a vertical attitudejust before the upper plates are so positioned. Consequently, when thelower portion (the portion below the pivot pins 222) of each of thelower plates swings downwardly against the corresponding transversepartition 107 and bends the partition into vertical attitude, thepartition is confined on both sides by plates, on one side by a lowerplate and on the other side by an upper plate.

It will be noted that each of the upper plates 191 has formed thereinacent ral archsha'ped opening 241 slightly wider than a crown-shapedmember 242 surmounting the lower plate 221. Consequently, there is nointerference between the upper and the lower plates as they swingbetween their extreme positions.

In addition to confining the carton partitions the upper and lowerplates also serve to cooperate in forming the central triangularinverted V-shaped rib structure designated by the numeral 251'and shownmost clearly in Figures 11 and l3. As can be seen in Figure 13, each ofthe upper plates 191 includes a pair of inwardly ex tending arms 253terminating in opposed inclined edges 254 separated by an amount veryclosely equal to the desired final dimension of the rib member 251 atits approximately central vertical location. Each of the lower plates221 includes, adjacent its lower portion, a left-hand or large wing 256and a right-hand or small wing 257, as appears in Figure 13. The wingsare separated by a curved opening 258 substantially coincident withtheinclined edges 254 for a portion of. its length and terminating in anupper aperture 259 partially located in the crown portion 242 of thelower plate 221.

The upper plates and lower plates are so configured, in fact, that theyco-act with the rib-forming and tucking mechanism, generallycharacterized by the numeral 261, and shown most clearly in Figure 11,to complete the carton erection by folding the bottom 262 of the hollowbox shown in Figure upwardly into final form.

The rib-forming mechanism 261 includes a cam 266, provided with a camgroove 267, mounted on the cam shaft 56 and rotating in the direction ofthe arrow 59. Riding in the groove 267 is a pin 268 on the end of arocker arm 269 on a shaft 271; a link 272 is pivotally mounted on oneend on the arm 269 and at the other end on a block 273 secured to one ofa pair of legs 276 movable between the positions shown in full line andin outline, in Figure 11, in the directions indicated by the arrow 277.The legs 276 are secured to and rotate in unison with a shaft 273.

Mounted on the distal end of the leg 276 is a plurality of sharpened toemembers 279 adapted to engage the carton bottom along a central bottomfold line 281 at locations between each of the diamond-shaped apertures111, as appears in Figure 9.

The'toes, as they contact the carton bottom. and swing upwardly, causethe bottom to bend upwardly. The fold line 281 forms the apex of theinverted V-shaped rib 251, the lower margin of the rib 251 being definedby a secondary pair of fold lines 282, as appears in Figures 9 and 13.Continued upward movement of the rib forces or tucks the rib slits 112upwardly past the central band 283 in the corresponding transversepartitions 107, the partitions being confined in the meanwhile betweenthe upper and lower plates, and into the position shown in Figure 13. I

At this juncture, the rib is fully formed and tucked and the toes 279are retracted. Substantially concurrently the carton clamping andejecting mechanism again is ac tivated by the motion of the cam 166 andthe carton is removed from its forming station 36 and is carried to astacking bin 301 located at the position shown in Figure 1.

Removal from the forming station is effected by the downward motion ofthe legs 176, shown in Figures 1 and 10, the legs 176 carrying not onlythe clamping hooks 178 which clamp the cartons front wall against abacking member 302 but also a bail 303 extending between the distal endsof the legs 176.

Thus, both the clamping hook 178 and the bail 303 act to strip thecarton and to carry it toward the preceding carton in the bin 301.Adjacent the lower end of the cam 187, an indentation 311 is provided,as shown in Figures 1 and 10. As the roller 188 enters the indentation311, the link 189 is rocked, permitting the spring 182 to move theclamping hook 179 into open or disengaging position. The clamping andejecting arms are thereupon returned to uppermost position, theindentation 311 being long enough in extent so that the clamp 178remains in open position long enough for the clamp to clear the cartonfront wall.

At this juncture the delivery arms have fed the next carton blank andthe next cycle has commenced.

What is claimed is:

l. A carton forming machine comprising: a housing; an inclined hopper onsaid housing adapted to store a plurality of unformed egg cartons, eachcarton including a far wall recurved upon and glued along a .strip to anear wall, said near wall having formed therein a plurality ofapertures; means for delivering one unformed carton only at a time fromsaid hopper to a predetermined location within said housing; meansinsertable through at least one of said apertures in said near wall andinto abutment with said far wall for separating said near wall and saidfar wall, said separating means including a hook movable to a locationbehind and adjacent the rear face of said near wall; means insertablethrough others of said apertures in said near wall and into abutmentwith said far wall for urging said far wall into expanded, hollow boxform, said hook on said separating means being in concurrent engagementwith the rear face of said near wall for restraining the movementthereof as said far wall is urged away from said near wall; means forfolding the transverse partitions in an egg carton into formedcondition; and means for removing a formed carton from said housing.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said carton wall separating meansincludes a shank, a hook having an offset tip mounted on the distal endof said shank, and means for inserting said hook through an adjacent oneof said apertures in said near wall at an oblique angle to the plane ofsaid near wall whereby said hook abuts said far wall and said tipunderlies said near wall.

3. A carton forming machine comprising a housing; a hopper on saidhousing adapted to store in substantially vertical attitude a pluralityof unformed egg cartons, each including a near wall and a far walljoined at the bottom, said far wall extending upwardly in parallelrelation to said near wall and terminating below the upper edge of saidnear wall to provide a ledge, said far wall being glued toxsaid nearwall adjacent said ledge; vertically reciprocating means engageable withsaid ledge for delivering the adjacent one of said cartons downwardly toa carton forming station below said hopper; means for frictionallysupporting said walls of said carton whereby'said carton is restrainedagainst the downward force of gravity while located at said formingstation; means for holding said carton against upward movement asforming occurs; and means for stripping said carton from said formingstation.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said carton holding means and saidcarton stripping means include: an oscillating arm having mountedthereon a bail extending over the top of one side of said carton informed condition thereof; and a hook rockably mounted on said arm andmovable in dependence on the location of said arm between a firstposition removed from the other side of said carton and a secondposition in clamping engagement with said other side of said carton,said bail and said hook being eifect-ive to restrain said carton againstupward.

movement in an upper attitude of said arm and being effective to supportsaid carton as said carton is stripped downwardly from said formingstation.

5. A machine for forming an egg carton having in formed conditionthereof elements including a vertical front side wall, a vertical rearside wall, and a plurality of vertical partitions extendingperpendicularly between said side walls, said machine comprising: meansfor storing a plurality of unformed cartons; means for delivering oneunformed carton at a time from said storing means to a forming station;means for partially forming an unformed carton into hollow box formwherein said partitions are in horizontal attitude; and means forthereafter simultaneously rotating each of said partitions fromhorizontal to vertical attitude, said partitionrotating means includinga plurality of upper plates each rotatably mounted to swing between asubstantially horizontal position and a vertical position, and aplurality of lower plates each rotatably mounted to swing between asubstantially horizontal position and a verticalposition, one of saidlower plates being disposed on one side of a corresponding one of saidpartitions and one of said upper plates being disposed on the other sideof a corresponding one of said partitions as said partitions aredisposed in vertical attitude, said partition rotating means furtherincluding an upper plate rotating bar, and a lower plate rotating bar,each of said bars being cam-actuated, and each of said bars beingrockably connected, respectively, with said upper plates and said lowerplates, said lower plate bar being actuated prior to said upper platebar whereby said lower plates eifect rotation of said partitions priorto movement of said upper plates.

6. The device of claim wherein the lower portion of said upper platesvertically overlaps the upper portion of said lower plates, and whereinsaid overlapping portions are each formed with a substantially centralvertical opening adapted to receive and guide a tucked longitudinalcentral rib of a formed egg carton.

7. A canton forming machine comprising a housing, means adjacent the topof said housing for storing a plurality of unformed egg cartons, acarton forming station adjacent the central portion of said housing, acarton ejecting station adjacent the bottom of said housing, and meansfor stripping a formed egg carton from said forming station and formoving a formed egg carton to said ejecting station, said cartonstripping and moving means including an arm pivotally mounted on saidhousing to swing between an upper position adjacent said forming stationand a lower position adjacent said ejecting station,

a cam mounted on said housing, said cam having a track arcuatelyextending from said forming station downwardly to said ejecting stationand being provided with a depression at the top and at the bottomthereof, a roller rockably mounted on said arm and in engagement withsaid track, a hook mounted on said arm, means for swinging said hook independence on the position of said roller in said track, said hook beingmovable between a first position for clamping engagement with a wall ofa formed egg canton and a second position removed therefrom, and meansfor swinging said arm between said upper and said lower position wherebysaid hookis rocked between said first position and said second position.

8. The device of claim 7 further characterized by a bail mounted on thedistal end of said arm, said bail extending over the top of a formed eggcarton adjacent the side of a carton opposite the side engaged by saidrockable hook, said bail andsaid hook being capable of resisting upwardforces exerted on the bottom of an eg canton and being capable of urginga formed egg carton from said forming station to said ejecting station.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS J d nFeb- 1, 1955

